Adequation
by AyndeRod
Summary: Avatar Korra, having mastered three out of four elements, was about to take charge of her own life and finally learn airbending in the grand city of her predecessor, Aang – is it any surprise that she missed the stop at Republic City? AU
1. Chapter 1

**Title:** Adequation

**Rating:** T

**Disclaimer:** Don't own Legend of Korra.

**Summary:** Avatar Korra, having mastered three out of four elements, was about to take charge of her own life and finally learn airbending in the grand city of her predecessor, Aang – is it any surprise that she missed the stop at Republic City?

Note: Chapter one, unpolished. I've got a number of other ones, but this is a weird fic in that I know I can end it at any time - but the further I write, the more Amorra it'll get, so I better keep inspired, right?

BTW, title. It's always interesting what you find in an online dictionary. Look it up. ^^

* * *

Bvvrrrrrruuuuhhhhhhhhhhhh!

Sleeping soundly, Korra furrowed her eyebrows at the loud, vibrating sound. Beneath her, Naga slept on as well – the horn of the steamship blowing was something both had learned to ignore in the days of their journey.

Bvvrrruu-bvvrrrrrruuuuhhhhhhhhhhhh!

Standing in front of the pair, the First Officer of the vessel looked down at them. He frowned, and lowered his voice for the order. "Tell the Captain we have a pair of stowaways from Republic. Lord knows what her goals are, but that's not our prerogative."

"Yes, sir." The shipmate bowed, but hesitated before following out of the room. He glanced not at the girl, but at the polar bear-dog. Being from the South Pole himself, he remembered the fuss of hushed rumors when the Avatar tamed the vicious animal as her Spirit Guide.

Still, it probably wasn't his place to inform the crew that they were carrying the Avatar. Who knew what would happen, then?

Deliberately putting the matter out of mind, Yorak walked briskly through the halls, taking only seconds to come up to the door to the Captain's quarters and office. He knocked without hesitation, and let himself in.

"Cap'n, we have a stowaway." He declared upon entering.

The Captain frowned upon looking up. His face was weathered from the sea, as trips to the Poles were especially hard on men from other nations, but he was a fair and well respected Captain.

"Well, it wouldn't due to just dump them; we're too far from land." The Captain scratched his chin idly. Sighing heavily, he stood from his seat and strode right passed Yorak and out the door. "C'mon, to Navigators hull."

Yorak followed silently.

It was a quick deal to explain the situation to the Navigator, who started pouring over the maps lying upon the desk. While the woman was doing that, Yorak took the opportunity to speak up. "Captain, sir, I must inform you that the situation is dire: not only is it a young girl on board, but she also has within her company an animal of large proportions."

The Captain's frown deepened the lines upon his face, and he asked, "How large are we speaking of?"

"…Approximately the size of a Satomobile, sir."

Sensing the severity of the situation (for they could not afford to keep both girl and animal on board), Navigator spotted just the place to drop off a young woman. "Captain, we can stop by the Abbey on our way North. We will need to keep inland, but it is a better alternative than carting the girl all the way to the North Pole."

"Good. See to it the changes to our course are made. A beast that large I want off my ship."

Both Navigator and Yorak bowed as the man left the room; immediately thereafter the woman pinned gold eyes on the Second Officer. "You used the word dire." She stated imperiously, as if that very word had changed her decision on where to stop.

It probably had.

"Yes." Yorak said, an implacable expression coating blue eyes. When he saw she would not back down from the topic, he made a split second decision. "The girl is obviously the daughter of Tonraq, son of the North."

Navigator frowned. "And what, specifically, does that mean? That we could have supported her until we got to the Northern docks?"

Even in this day and age, it seemed, people of other nations did not think to follow what lay behind the politics. "Tonraq is the brother of the Northern Chief. He abdicated the 'throne' for a Southern girl, and was subsequently banished. He and his family can never set foot upon Northern snow." This would change, he knew, once the girl made herself known as Avatar, but for now it was truth.

Gold eyes widened, and she nodded seriously. "I understand." She stated, and vacated the room herself to give orders to turn the tiller.

Yorak was left alone in the room, and wondered if it wouldn't have just been simpler to wake the girl up and have her waterbend to shore.

* * *

Bvvrrrrrruuuuhhhhhhhhhhhh!

"Girl." A deep voice called out to her. Korra just groaned and turned further into Naga's fur. For her part, Naga snarled as a nudging foot got too close.

Yorak frowned. "Girl, wake up, or I'll waterbend you right off the boat. We're about to pull in, and I need to tell you some things."

A single, baleful teal eye glared up at him. Yorak stared back.

"I'm up." The Avatar sighed in defeat. "Naga, calm."

"Good." He said imperiously. "I know you were meant to head for Republic City, stowaway."

Korra's eyes widened. Until that moment, it hadn't quite sunk in that she was caught. Wait, what? "W-were?"

Thin lips quirked and Yorak nodded. "Were. We docked in the early morning, and set out over four hours passed."

"Four… hours…" Korra repeated faintly.

"You're lucky." The Water Tribesman told her. She just looked up at him, so he continued. "We're not taking you all the way North with us. You're getting dropped off in less than an hour."

"…oh." An hour. Over five hours by steamship away from Republic City, it would take her days to get there, even riding on Naga. Suddenly, Korra realized how unprepared she was for such a journey.

"If you would take it, I offer you this advice."

Wary of his answer, Korra nonetheless nodded at him to go on.

"We won't be pulling into a port: no port will look kindly on a stowaway, and even less on a girl, no matter if she has a large and, quite frankly, intimidating animal." Yorak spoke steadily, hoping to impress upon her the importance of his words. By the growing look in her eyes, he was succeeding.

"Instead, we will pull alongside the shore, and you will be sent out with your dog. There won't be a path, but, should you go directly inland you will find an Abbey, guarded by nuns of the Spiritual orientation. I advise you seek shelter there."

Nuns? Well… Korra bolstered her courage, she wanted to come to Republic City to learn airbending and get in touch with her 'spiritual side,' right?

"O-okay… but what then?" Korra asked quietly, fist clenching in Naga's fur.

Blue eyes judged her, and Korra instinctively found herself bristling.

"What! I never asked for any of this! All I wanted was to come to Republic City to learn air-!" Korra found herself suddenly cut off midsentence by a hand, and she glared up at the man.

"I would advise you not to speak such words." Yorak said, crouching down to her level to stare her in the eye. She looked away first and reddened in humiliation.

"You will find that I know exactly who you are, daughter of Tonraq, and that does little to impress me, for it is obvious that you are going about on your own with little to no information. Now, will you listen?"

Korra nodded against his hand, a distinct fear filling her eyes, and Naga growled lowly.

"Good." He removed his hand, and continued steadily. "Republic City is far from the safest place to be right now. It is an enormous city bigger than all of the South Poles settlements combined, and it is filled with Triads – thugs, if you will – bad politics, and is in the midst of a civil uprising."

Korra's eyes filled with disbelief, and Yorak speared her with a Look.

"Should you go around speaking to anyone who has ears of who you are, _what_ you are, then chaos will follow. Not the good kind, either. They will hunt you down and make sure that you're stint in Republic City is not even looked upon in the history books."

Korra couldn't help but protest, "But, Master Tenz-"

"Airmaster Tenzin is one man, head of Air Temple Island. Yes, you would be safe there, for a time. Anonymously. He is hardly a fit politician for Republic city, he is too lofty and gentle." Yorak realized they had deviated from the original topic, and cut his hand through the air. "Regardless, you will be leaving this ship very soon for the Abbey. How are your funds?"

"…funds?" Korra asked in honest obliviousness. "Why would I need funds?"

Yorak called upon his ancestors for patience, and looked at her. "You, who were taught in your youth by Water Tribe Warrior Sokka, don't know the importance of money in society?"

Korra flushed red again in outrage. "I- it's not like I've ever needed it! I've lived in the compound my whole life! I-"

"Will be quiet or I will gag you." The Second Officer toned. She stayed quiet.

"Very well." Yorak stood up, and held his hand out. "I will provide you with enough to get you either transport or enough food for the journey. However, I would advise you speak with the Nuns about your situation, they may clear some… truths up for you."

Uncertain, she looked at the weathered hand. He smiled. Good. She should be wary, if she was to survive to the Capital.

* * *

Twenty minutes later, Korra found herself pressured overboard, and was quite hasty in putting ice under her and Naga's feet as the steamship plowed on without her.

Bvvrrrrrruuuuhhhhhhhhhhhh!

"Well Naga, let's get going…"

Bvvrrruu-bvvrrrrrruuuuhhhhhhhhhhhh!


	2. Chapter 2

**Title:** Adequation

**Rating:** T

**Disclaimer:** Don't own Legend of Korra.

**Summary:** Avatar Korra, having mastered three out of four elements, was about to take charge of her own life and finally learn airbending in the grand city of her predecessor, Aang – is it any surprise that she missed the stop at Republic City?

* * *

"Uh, Excuse me! Is anybody here!?" Korra called out into the town. She was still atop Naga, and peered curiously into what looked like a courtyard with houses built into the walls with one giant building on the far side. It looked like a prison, yet pristine and white and nice smelling. Korra wondered if she was at the right place.

"Well, Naga, does this smell ok?" She asked, suddenly nervous.

Naga chuffed at the ground, and promptly sneezed.

"Well, geez, thanks for the help." Korra muttered.

"How may I be of service, young lady?" A voice from aside suddenly asked. Korra cried out, and promptly fell out of Naga's saddle.

"Oh my!" One woman dressed in predominantly white cried out.

Another hurried to help her up. "Please, I did not mean to startle you!" She stated kindly.

"Uh..uh." Korra stuttered.

Naga sat and rolled her tongue out. Obviously, there wasn't much to worry about.

"You all… you must be the nuns?" Korra asked as she slowly stood up, eyeing the three identical women before her.

One woman beamed, "That's right! We here at the Abbey are, as you can see, nuns."

How… redundant… Korra couldn't help but think. Still, she pasted on a smile. "Pleased to meet you."

"No, no." Another woman said, grey eyes shining. "It has been quite a while since we have seen a member of the Water Tribe. You usually don't visit the Abbey. Why, it must have been over ten years since I've seen another of you!"

Ten years? Korra suddenly wondered what the Water Tribe had against the Abbey, that they would avoid the place. Surely they were as gentle as they looked? Suspicious, she looked at Naga, but the polar bear-dog still didn't seem to find anything wrong.

"Well… I… I came here in a bit of a bind, not to visit." Korra grimaced a smile. "I'm sorry. I honestly had no idea you were here before today."

"Oh! Well, we should take you to the Mother Superior, if that is the case. She will be able to help you right quick. It is our undertaking and pleasure to help those in need." This woman had more wrinkles, Korra was starting to realize. She felt her grin becoming plastic.

"Heh-heh. Okay. Lead on…"

One of the nuns declared that she would keep watch over Naga, and the grey eyed, younger one led her to the imposing building in the center of the Abbey.

"Mother! Mother Superior, we have a guest!" She called out before pulling the bell hanging atop the entryway.

A fragile looking woman made her way out to her, and smiled a gentle smile and bowed gracefully. "Hello, young lady. You have need of us at the Abbey?"

Blinking rapidly, Korra tried to translate that into literal speak. She had need…? Oh! "Yes! Yes I did! I… uh…"

Korra was rewarded with another smile, and swallowed. "Look, uh, Mother, Mother Superior?" The woman nodded, so Korra plowed on. "I kind of need to go to Republic City. I'm travelling from the Tribe, and, well, I only have so much…" her mind wracked for the proper word, "Yu-ans, so I was hoping you could maybe help point me in the fastest direction."

The Mother Superiors smile fell. "Oh, young lady! I'm afraid I could never send you to Republic City!"

What? "What?" Korra asked faintly.

"It's just too dangerous! Why, the whole city is a warzone right now. It's no place for a young girl to be headed!"

"Bu-but I have to get to Republic City!" She protested loudly. Quite a few of the nuns that had gathered around them tutted in disapproval at her words.

The Mother Superior shook her head. "It would weigh heavily on my conscious, I am afraid."

Korra outright gaped at them all. What was wrong with them! "I can take care of myself!"

A hand caught her elbow. "Come now, miss, let's get you fed and put to bed. I'm sure you'll feel better in the morning."

"But…!" Korra looked around wildly for help.

"The City is no place for a lady." Another nun said.

Was she surrounded by clones? What was wrong with these people! She had a goal! She had to learn airbending, and the only way to do that was to get to Republic City!

"Let me go!" Korra demanded of them, but found her feet being led to a smaller building.

Platitudes fell noiselessly against her ears, and Korra felt steam coming out of her nostrils. Clenching her fist, she controlled the impulse, barely. Harmless Nuns. Harmless Nuns.

No wonder why the Water Tribe avoided the Abbey.

* * *

Korra moped into her bowl of rice as across the room from her, Naga slurped happily at her own meal.

"Please, I know you're disappointed, but it's for the best." A quiet voice said from her side. Korra looked at her.

She was young, only a little bit older than Korra, and had the saddest look in her green eyes that Korra had ever seen.

"…Why?" Korra asked.

The girl slowly put down her bowl. "I was foolish enough to go to the City, once."

Korra couldn't understand the serious tone she spoke with, and asked for her name.

"….Li-e."

"Li-e. What happened at the City that's so bad?" Korra questioned.

Li-e was staring at the flames, a faraway look in her eyes, but slowly slid them to Korra's. "We don't mean to insult you… You do look strong, you know. I didn't think North girls could be Warriors, but you must be going South to prove them wrong, huh?"

Korra bit her lip, and didn't correct her; instead, she shoveled more rice in her mouth.

"I'm not a bender." Li-e said, like that explained everything.

"What?" Korra said obtusely. What did bending have to do with anything?

A small laugh escaped Li-e's lips. "You know, I can really tell that you've grown up just in the Water Tribe, just by that."

The smile faded. "Bending is everything, these days."

Korra frowned, she could agree with that. Bending was the best thing in the world!

Li-e continued, as if seeing just that notion in Korra's head. "I'm a desert rat, but we don't live very long if you're not a bender. Sandstorms, you know?" Green eyes implored Korra. "I thought, it must be better in Republic City! Avatar Aang and Fire Lord Zuko made that city with sweat and blood, with their own hands, where people of any descent could live peacefully."

She trailed off, and sat in silence for several minutes, that haunted look in her eyes.

"I was hopeful… and I was wrong."

"I still don't get it." Korra said, trying not to upset the girl.

Li-e wiped her eye, but Korra thought they were remarkably dry, like the tears just wouldn't come anymore. It was a sobering thought.

"There's these… gangs. In Republic City. They rule it. You can't go two blocks without running into one Triad or another. They have so much influence, they terrorize everybody. Take money, bully people… rape them… "The last was said so quietly Korra had to strain to hear, but once she did, she froze.

"They're all benders. And the police do nothing."

This picture, everything was wrong with this picture! Why hadn't Master Tenzin ever said anything?

But, an insidious voice said, deep with in Korra's head. He did. Tenzin said it himself, that the situation in Republic City was very unstable right now. Korra couldn't believe, however, that behind those words, he meant _this._

"But, there has to be someone who tries to stop them? The council put laws down? What about the Air Acolytes? Don't they help, shelter people, something?"

A smile flitted across Li-e's lips. "I wish I had had that foresight, to go to Air Temple Island. Maybe then…" Li-e took a deep breath, and hummed a deep, clear note. Korra felt it resonating through her body, and couldn't help but relax, watching curiously as the desperation on Li-e's face calmed and disappeared.

"I went in to Republic City, and two days later, after getting a job, the owner 'gave' me to the Triad he owed money to. I…" Suddenly, Li-e's eyes opened, and the clear green caught Korra's. "I don't think you want to hear what happened."

Korra swallowed. In a dark part of her heart, she felt helpless that she agreed.

"Nuns sometimes go into the city. There's a few woman's shelters, see. Not many. But, some. Those who are willing go with the nuns, here to the Abbey. I wasn't aware of their existence, until some Water Tribe man rescued me, brought me to one, and handed me to the Abbey. I am thankful, now."

Korra swallowed, and dumped the remains of her rice in the fire as she stood abruptly and exited the dwelling at a clip.

Tears were in Korra's eyes. How could this be going on? It was horrible! This wasn't right! It didn't match with her vision of Republic City!

Just like it didn't match with Li-e's.

But Korra was the Avatar! "Augh!" She cried out, punching a fist without flames. "Why!" She demanded to the night air. To the spirits, or to the people in charge of Republic City, like Tenzin, or perhaps even to Aang, for leaving the city like it was.

"Why?" Korra asked, broken, for Li-e's sake.

* * *

Early the next morning, before even the hours of pre-dawn, Korra packed Naga's saddle. She didn't notice it was heavier, because her heart was heavy.

Korra was filled with regret, but strangely, also, resolve. She was the Avatar, and Republic City needed her.

"I'm sorry, Li-e" Korra said to the night's air. She left on Naga, running on silent paws.

Green eyes watched from beyond a door way, filled with tears that, for once, shed. "I'm sorry, too.


	3. Chapter 3

**Title:** Adequation

**Rating:** T

**Disclaimer:** Don't own Legend of Korra.

**Summary:** Avatar Korra, having mastered three out of four elements, was about to take charge of her own life and finally learn airbending in the grand city of her predecessor, Aang – is it any surprise that she missed the stop at RepublicCity?

* * *

Korra could say a lot of things about growing up in the White Lotus Compound. She never got to be a child. She rarely got to see her parents. Rarely was she allowed of the Compound, but rarer still was she allowed to be among the Tribe Settlements. She probably wouldn't even know basic Southern Water Tribe traditions if it weren't for Sifu Katara.

But Korra would concede that she did receive quite a large education, because the longer she rode Naga along the coast, the more she was remembering her old, boring lesions of Geography on the EarthKingdom.

Either that, or she finally got in touch with her Spiritual side, and Avatars of the past were whispering in her ear.

Whichever it was, Korra wasn't complaining at that moment. She had a general direction; (East. Don't stray from the coast.) She had enough food for a week for both her and Naga. (Some she'd taken from the Abbey, and felt guilty about. Some she found in Naga's saddlebag.) And most importantly, she had Naga, whose steady gait was still three times as fast as her own, and got her farther in two days than she would in a week.

Unfortunately, the terrain was interspersed with jagged cliffs from the mountain range just north of them, and it was requiring quite a bit of tricky maneuvering. Naga just wasn't used to travelling like this, with rocks, roots and vegetation all around and no snow to cushion her leaps and bounds; Korra could tell that Naga was tiring out physically.

Biting her lip, Korra pulled sharply on Naga's reigns, signaling the end of travel for the night. Without preamble, Naga collapsed right where they were, and Korra felt the stirring of even more pangs of guilt.

"Alright Naga, I'll unpack you for tonight, okay?" She asked, sliding off the saddle and already unhooking the saddlebags.

"Aruoo." Naga groaned at her. Korra smiled sympathetically.

"I'm sorry, I know it's tough. How 'bout I heal you a bit?" A big, bushy tail wacked her in the leg in response, making Korra laugh. "Okay, okay, hold on."

It was a simple matter to draw water from the ocean and purge it of its salt, but turning it into healing water took a bit more work. Korra might have studied under the best healer in the South Pole (after all, Katara focused on healing after the war – a great effort and symbol for people afterwards) but Korra lacked that innate 'knack' that natural healers had. She was too hard. Or maybe it was just that it was turning into 'spirit' water, and Korra didn't really dig Spirits, no matter that she was the Avatar.

Still, she hunkered down and started running the glowing voodoo along Naga's strained limbs, swatting away the giant head when she tried licking it. "That's enough Naga, let me work. I'll get you food once I'm done, I promise!"

Naga huffed, and let her work for a few minutes more, but suddenly her ears perked up.

Korra looked at Naga, knowing the polar bear-dogs hearing to be better than hers, and stopped bending. "Naga, what is it?"

Slowly, Korra could hear what Naga did. It was off tune, but distinctly the sound of someone singing "….eee…."

She moved to their packs just in case, while Naga stood guard as well.

"….city, ….oooo… eeeettyy!"

Brown and blue eyes cut to one another. They were in agreement.

In minutes, Naga was saddled up again, and they were running as fast as they could from whoever was singing, 'The Girls from Ba Sing Se.'

* * *

"Hey Naga, I spy with my liiiiiiittlllle eye…. Something red." Korra toned dramatically.

Naga looked around, and whuffed in a general direction.

"That's right! A bird!" Korra cheered.

"Aruooo…." Naga grumbled out.

"Uhm… a flower?" Korra guessed cluelessly.

Naga snorted. Korra pouted.

"Wrong… Uh, how about a –"

"…Village?" Korra asked in disbelief.

True enough, up ahead was a small port. It was one of those villages stuck half way between old and new, with wooden fishing boats scattered among mechanical ones, and a number of brick buildings among the wooden.

"What do you think, Naga? Should we go in, or skirt it?" Korra bit her thumb, and then promptly made a face at the taste. "Maybe we should at least go in for a bite to eat?"

Leading Naga into the port, Korra marveled at how little mind they were given. It always seemed like everyone should stare at Naga, but there wasn't anybody here who paid them any mind. Smiling a goof, she pulled alongside a man. "Excuse me; is there a tea shop around here?" Korra asked, a plan rapidly pulling itself together in her mind at the thought of food.

"Further down the main road." A hoarse voice told her before the old man toddled off without waiting a thanks.

"Gee… I hope everyone's not like that. C'mon Naga. Best just use your nose." Korra told the polar bear-dog.

The teashop was easy to find after that, and soon enough Korra had dismounted and sauntered in. "Hi, I'll take… a pot of brown tea… and three sticks of octosquid… oh! And some Neros! I love those!" Korra cheered on seeing the spicy snack.

"Seven yuans." She was told in a droll voice.

"Uh-huh… uh.." It took her a moment to remember that piece of advice: that the world revolved around money. Patting herself down, Korra tried to find where she put the money all those days ago. "Um, hang on. Lemme check Naga."

The clerks lips pursed, but he didn't say anything as she hurried out of the store.

"Yu-ans… Yu-ans.." Korra muttered to herself. Finally, she pulled out a sack of coins. "Seven of these things? Or maybe the paper things?" Irate, she just grabbed the whole bag. "Sorry, can you help me? What's 'seven yu-ans'?"

Eyebrows raised, the man looked at the bag, and Korra didn't think much of the smirk as he took out seven of the paper sheets. "Here, I'll get your order."

Happy to have paid, Korra stowed away the rest, her stomach gurgling at the thought of food.

Korra and Naga inhaled the food as it came out, and, with stuffed stomachs, made their way out of the port town.

"You know Naga, maybe this money thing isn't all that complicated after all! I mean, it was just give and take like any trade, you know?" Korra grinned, happy with her success. "So let's get moving!" She cheered, and Naga's pace increased to reflect that.

* * *

_"Stupid girl." The clerk muttered to himself, even as he greedily eyed the seventy yuans he'd gotten from her._

* * *

"HEY!" A voice called out before she could exit the town proper. Korra looked around for the voice.

A burly looking EarthKingdom man was running up to Naga, an angry look in his eyes.

"What do you want?" Korra asked defensively.  
"Girl, you think you can just waltz right in here?" The man sneered, and as if it were a cue, several more men detached from the surrounding buildings.

Korra tightened her grip on Naga's reins. "I haven't done anything wrong."

"You 'aven't paid the fee." A seedy looking man leered.

"Fee? What fee?"

"This one!" Someone snarled, and Korra found herself tackled to the ground. Behind her, Naga let out a bellow, and Korra struggled in the hold.

Three of the men had Naga surrounded, and from here Korra could smell burning fur – was one of them a firebender – yet it seemed that Naga was also just plain trapped, her feet lodged in the earth.

Fuming, Korra jerked her head up into the guy's nose, and rolled out of the hold into a standing position. "Hey! LEAVE NAGA ALONE!"

A blast of fire came her way, and Korra dodged it right into a boulder. "Ugh!" She grimaced, and backed up to get her footing.  
Looking up, Korra's eyes widened as she saw the ropes that were being bound around Naga, the polar bear-dog's mouth already muzzled closed. "No! Arrgh!" Quickly, she sent a burst of fire in their direction.

She had to get Naga free, get them out of here! Kicking with brute force, she sent one guy flying and blocked a boulder, before sending another flaming fist their way. Slowly, she made her way over to Naga. Still surrounded though, Korra looked around. There had to be some way…!

Gritting her teeth, Korra summoned up a whirlwind of fire, and stomped to free Naga before leaping on the polar bear-dog's back. "Go, Naga!" She cried out, and split the flames as the dog leapt free of ropes.

The men behind her let out curses, and so Korra kept sending more and more fire behind them, trying to distract them, get away away away-

The town entrance was in sight, passing, a blur – and they were gone.

* * *

It took a further two days of travel, even with Korra and Naga now on an actual road along the coast. Finally, she could see something large growing in the distance.

"C'mon Naga, if we hurry we'll see it by nightfall! We're almost there!" Excitement bled in her voice, and Korra fisted the air giddily.

True to word, the hours passed at a brisk pace and not long after nightfall, they rounded a cliff that overlooked the great city.

"Wow…" Korra breathed. Miles stretched before her, farms turning into houses turning into buildings, and clear across the mouth of the river and bay, was a golden lit building, with a city towering behind it.

"Amazing! Naga, isn't it beautiful?" Korra twitched, wanting so much to just break Naga into a run. Thinking of the last few days, however, Korra erred on the side of caution and instead she dismounted. "We should stay here all night, okay? We'll leave early, and get there in the morning."

They were happy to gaze upon the end of their journey, to relax in hope it was over.


	4. Chapter 4

**Title:** Adequation

**Rating:** T

**Disclaimer:** Don't own Legend of Korra.

**Summary:** Avatar Korra, having mastered three out of four elements, was about to take charge of her own life and finally learn airbending in the grand city of her predecessor, Aang – is it any surprise that she missed the stop at Republic City?

* * *

The city was huge; Korra never imagined it would be so big she'd get lost right away. It was so easy in the Poles to find out where you were, using the water and the sun, but here, it was street after street with no landmarks that she could see!

At this rate, Korra wouldn't reach Air Temple Island until morning! Oh, she knew she should have stayed along the shoreline! But she'd gotten sidetracked feeding Naga, whose nose had taken them several streets into the main city. Now, Korra had no idea where they were.

Dusk was approaching, and Korra and Naga were currently wandering down some residential district from the looks of things, though it wasn't very tidy. Frowning to herself, Korra looked around for someone to ask direction from – no one was about – when a car careened down the street, tires screeching. Korra leapt out of the way, and gaped. "HEY!" Korra yelled at the retreating vehicle. Fuming, Korra turned, and that was when she saw smoke billowing in the distance.

"Oh no, Naga! Naga, come on let's go!" Korra called urgently as she ran down the street. In seconds, Naga was running along side her, nose in the air as they sped towards the fire.

"This is terrible," Korra breathed as she came across the scene. There was a bloodied man in front of the property, and Korra ran for him.

"My… my wife… please! My child… and wife…" The man said feebly. "Spare them, please, oh spirits…"

"What?" Korra asked, and then felt a shiver of dread go down her spine as she looked at the burning house in front of her. There were people in there? "Naga, I'm going in! You get this guy to the streets, ok?"

Korra didn't wait for an answer, she just charged straight into the house, bringing up her sealskin coat to her nose and above her ears as she ran.

The entryway was wreathed in flames, but Korra charged past them a dive to fan the flames away. "HELLO!"

Nothing.

There had to be some response! She couldn't be too late!

She sped through the house, kicking down every door she came across. Nothing in the kitchen. Nothing in the receiving room. Upstairs?

"Please, is anybody in here?" Korra asked desperately.

Still no response.

One bedroom, nothing.

Bathroom, nothing.

The last door was another bedroom, and with tears in her eyes, Korra kicked it down.

No one was in there. "But he said…" She said to herself.

Just when Korra was about to turn around, she heard a thud, coming from the far door in the room. Korra raced to it, and, reaching instinctively for the door, seared her hand. "Ah!" Gritting her teeth, she blew out a giant steam of air, and jumped back – _great going, Korra, firebending in a burning house! _She thought as the flames fanned even brighter around her. "You're not getting the best of me, DOOR!" She called, and rammed right into it.

It smelled terrible. Like flames and that disgusting gasoline and worse, burned flesh.

Slumped in the corner of the adjacent bathroom was the still form of a tied up woman. Her clothes and flesh were blackened, and her hair was missing. Korra wasted no time, hauling her up none too gently, and ran.

The door was surrounded by flames, but that was nothing to a firebender. Korra breezed through the flames, and ran down the hall, only to halt at the stairs, which had crumpled away.

"There's no time for this!" Korra said to herself desperately. So she turned around, and ran straight back into the room. She charged, and as Korra approached the window, she step-turned and curled around the woman as she flew through the air, crashing against, then through, the glass.

It was a hard landing that jarred all the way to the bone. But they were out of the fire, amidst a crowd of people who had come to the fire. "HEY! ANY OF YOU A DOCTOR!" Korra yelled desperately.

There was no reply, and Korra grit her teeth. What was this!

With a frustrated snarl, Korra _pulled_ and bent, gushing water appearing from the air, the grass – it was a paltry amount, the heat having burned away most moisture. It would have to do, Korra thought, and with shaking hands turned it to healing water.

The woman was still beneath her. The healing water glowed, seeking the damage, healing the burns.

The man from before stumbled up to her, dropping to his knees. "Chio, Chio please." He begged of her.

Slowly, the glow petered out. Korra's eyes widened.

"She…she's not breathing…" She muttered desperately. Once again, Korra pulled water, changing it once again. Korra tried, she really did, but the spirit water wouldn't sink in.

Chio's chest was still, and deflated. The damage from the heat and smoke had been too much.

"No…" Korra cried. "Please, no!"

Like something broke, the bloody man was sobbing into his wife's chest. He called out to the spirits, wanted his wife back, anything at all. It wouldn't come.

Shaking, Korra got to her feet. She looked around, at the people just standing, watching.

"What are you all looking at? Go away!" Korra snarled.

How dare them! This wasn't a game; this was a woman's life, dead. A man, without her! And they just _watched_.

Slowly, the crowd wandered away from the flames, the sobs of the man and the fury in the girls blue eyes.

Naga came up to Korra, nudging her with a big head. "Aurooo."

Korra let out a shaky sigh. "I… I'll be fine. Thanks, Naga." She smiled a bit, and then confided in her best friend. "I just… I wish I could have done more."

"Rrru!" Naga rumbled.

"Huh? Oh!" Korra lunged to the man, who was on unsteady feet. "Please, let me heal you."

His eyes were still on his wife's, but he shook his head. "I have… to find a way."

"What?" Korra asked, "What are you talking about?"

"My daughter… my wife is gone…but my daughter… they took her." He said faintly. "I… I have to get her back."

"You… are you crazy! That's the last thing you should be worrying about!" Korra scolded.

His face twisted, and he spat at her. "You could not save my wife. But I WILL find my daughter! I have to get her away from those… those monsters!"

Korra took a step back, finding the comforting solidity of Naga behind her. "I…"

The man's body shook feebly, but he still did not cry. "I… I am at fault, for this. I couldn't make enough; get money to the Agni Kai's. I, I have to get Emmy back!"

"Wh- Wait! At least let me heal you!" Korra tried. She had no idea what the Agni Kai's were, since she doubted this was the result of a battle for honor gone sour, but this had bad idea written all over it.

Arms trembling, the man denied her. "Like you healed my wife?" A bitter smile appeared on his lips. "No. I will give it everything; I have to try, for Emmy."

Horrified, Korra could only watch as he stumbled away. When she tried to take a step after him (stop him, heal him, offer to help him! Anything!) she found her coat snagged in the jaws of Naga.

"Naga! Please!" Korra tried reasoning.

The polar bear-dog's eyes chastised her, and Korra sagged. "I want to help them."

_You already did,_ it seemed Naga was saying.

Korra looked down, the horribly burnt body of Chio. "No. No, in the end, I couldn't help them at all, could I…"

Trembling, Korra dropped to the ground, and seconds later buried her face in Naga's fur. "I failed. I couldn't help at all."

Korra couldn't say much later it was, but eventually the police squad came. There were ruthlessly efficient about putting out the smoldering remains of the house and making sure that it wouldn't spread, before one approached her.

"Ah-hem." A gravelly voice cleared their throat. Korra looked up with dull eyes from her position against Naga. One of the police officers stood before her, hair gone gray and with earth green eyes as serious as can be. The woman was intimidating, but Korra couldn't bring herself to care.

"My name is Chief Bei Fong. If you're feeling up to it, I'm going to need your statement about what's happened tonight." The severe looking woman told her.

Korra slumped again. "Oh."

"Do you want to do it here, or would you like to come down to the station?" Bei Fong asked, a softer note appearing in her voice as she took in just how lost the girl was.

"I… yeah… sure. It's not like I'll be able to find a place to stay right now anyway." Korra said, heaving herself up. "Lead on."

Bei Fong raised an eyebrow at the wording, and motioned for her officers to lead the girl to the squad Satomobile.

"But, Naga…" Korra protested.

"Don't worry. Your… is that a polar bear-dog?" The officer asked, suddenly looking faint. Korra nodded, and he continued weakly. "…will fit in one of the bigger trucks."

Korra followed the man inside, and the sped off.

It was a dizzying sensation, these Satomobiles. Korra had never ridden in one before, since they didn't tend to do very well in the South Pole. Still, it seemed like she could enjoy the sensation of the Satomobiles for a few minutes before it screeched to a halt in front of the Police Headquarters.

Korra was ushered out of the car and reunited with Naga, who, it seemed, had taken a liking to one young officer's hair. Either that, or his hair products, Korra thought with a faint spark of humor. Knowing Naga, it could've been both.

The building was large, with a statue above the doors that sent a spark of familiarity down Korra's spine. Still, despite the size, it was quick work to be led inside, through the halls, and into a sterile, if comfortable room. Korra raised her eyebrow, turning to Chief Bei Fong.

Bei Fong's lips quirked, and she said, "Well, it's not like you're the chief suspect. Might as well make you comfortable, if you could be here all night." The last sentence was pinned with a firm look.

Korra, shoving aside her pride, let out a grateful sigh and fell bonelessly into the char. She managed a small smile as Naga nudged her. "Fire away, Chief."

Despite the levity surrounding the situation, Korra knew: she was in for a long night.


End file.
